1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to heavy-duty industrial trailers, and more particularly, those which have collapsible goosenecks to facilitate loading and unloading of equipment.
2. Description of Prior Art
Conventional heavy-duty industrial trailers usually consist of a low bed with multiple wheels at the rear and a fixed gooseneck at the front which engages the fifth wheel of the tractor. To facilitate easy loading, trailers with folding goosenecks have been developed. These may be either operated mechanically or by employing fluids. Mechanical versions employ cables to lift the gooseneck. A typical illustration is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,605,916, to Martin. A hydraulic version is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,441,710 to Martin.
Mechanical versions are generally slow and require a winch and cable or similar device mounted on the tractor. Hydraulic versions generally require a retractable pedestal to hold the platform level with the ground. The gooseneck folds down to form an inclined ramp to load the bed of the trailer. These trailers are often difficult to load or unload on sloping or uneven ground.